The Green Bay Packers are bringing back 35 year old tight end Mercedes Lewis on a one year contract worth a reported 2.25 million dollars. Lewis is entering his 15th NFL season and his third with the Packers. He caught only three passes in 2018 but last year, found more playing time in Head Coach Matt LaFleur’s offense, pulling down 17 receptions with one touchdown but proving even more valuable in the running game, getting significant numbers of snaps and helping Aaron Jones become a 1000 yard rusher.
Aaron Rodgers said late last season, “You can’t half enough Mercedes Lewises in the locker room.” Rodgers valued his leadership role on the team and that will be counted on even more heavily because of the departure of Jimmy Graham to the Chicago Bears which leaves Green Bay with a very young tight end group of Robert Tonyan, Evan Baylis and Jace Sternberger.
The Packers are also losing another unrestricted free agent as linebacker B.J. Goodson reportedly has been signed by the Cleveland Browns. Acquired just before the start of the regular season in a trade from the New York Giants, Goodson helped out at linebacker, particularly on early downs in the run game. With his departure and the signing of Blake Martinez by the Giants, the Packers are without their two primary inside linebackers from a year ago.
The NFL’s calendar year began on Wednesday when the free agent deals negotiated earlier in the week could officially be signed.
Existing contracts also expired and that cut loose 10 players who were on Green Bay’s roster at the end of 2019. The following players are now allowed to negotiate with any NFL club, Packers included:
Tramon Williams, Geronimo Allison, Will Redmond, Jared Veldheer, Tyler Ervin, Ryan Grant, Jason Spriggs, Danny Vitale, Ibraheim Campbell and Malcolm Johnson.
